1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic latch device adapted to automatically latch a runner member in an automatic seat belt system when in response to closing of a door or the like the runner is moved to a position restraining a seat occupant, and to automatically unlatch the runner member in response to opening of the door or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an automatic latch device of this type, there is known a latch device of the type in which a brake member provided on a vehicle body is adapted to mesh with a restraining portion of the runner member when the runner member is moved into a position restraining a seat occupant. A cam portion of a cam member slidably mounted to the runner member is adapted to disengage the runner member from the brake member when the runner member is moved from its position restraining a seat occupant. However, in the latch device of such type, when the runner member and the brake member are in meshing engagement with each other, the cam member is caused to slide in the direction of movement of the runner member with the runner member remaining unmoved to thereby move the brake member to a non-meshing position. Therefore the meshing engagement between the runner member and the brake member cannot be made sufficiently reliable since the movement of the runner member is in the same direction as that of the sliding movement of the cam member, and this has led to the possibility that the latching between the two members is incomplete. This affects the safety of the seat occupant and must, therefore, be corrected.